Cotton stripping machine



Feb. 22,1955 B. l. PACHA COTTON STRIPPING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l FiledJune B, 1955 v .El

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COTTON STRIPPING MACHINE Filed June 8, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bl'l/ PachaI INVENTOR.

1 BY WWMW Feb. 22, 1955 B. l. PACHA 2,702,449

COTTON STRIPPING MACHINE Filed June 8, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 517/ Pac/7aIN VEN TOR.

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Feb. 22, 1955 B. 1. PACHA 2,702,449

COTTON STRIP-PING MACHINE Filed June. 8, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 u m Fig.8

IN V EN TOR BY whlma/Wvwy 5mm United States Patent C COTTON STRIPPINGMACHINE Bill I. Pacha, Holland, Tex.

Application .lune S, 1953, Serial No. 360,075

3 Claims. (Cl. V56-33) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in cotton harvesters and the primary object of the presentinvention is to provide novel and improved means for effectively combingcotton and for removing the weeds from the cotton during the combingoperation.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a cottonstripping and combing machine involving oppositely rotating power drivenstripper rollers each of which supports a plurality of radially slidablecombing fingers that ride against a stationary cam member positioned ineach roller so as to project certain of the fingers outwardly from theirsupporting roller and toward each other during rotation of the rollerfor the purpose of eectively combing and stripping cotton.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cotton combingand stripping machine consisting of a lower pair of stripper rollerswhich are located below the combing rollers and which rotate inrelatively opposite directions and oppositely to the combing rollers forthe purpose of pulling weeds, twigs or the like from cotton beinghandled by the combing rollers.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a cotton combingmachine of the aforementioned character involving a pair of conicalrollers which may replace the combing rollers and a drive connectionbetween the combing and stripping rollers so that the combing rollersreplaced by the stripping rollers and a lower set of stripping rollersWill rotate in a similar direction to convert the device from a cottoncombing machine to a corn puller, in a convenient manner.

A still further aim of the Vpresent invention is to provide a cottonstripping and combing machine that is extremely simple and practical inconstruction, strong and reliable in use, eicient and durable inoperation, inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted forthe purposes for which the same is intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, :referencebeing had tothe yaccompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a top plan View of the present invention operatively mountedon a tractor and coupled to a collecting wagon; l

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken substantiallyon the plane of broken section line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional'view taken substantially on the plane of section line 3 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view takensubstantially on the plane of section line 4 4 of Figure l-with the rodsomitted;

`Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional View takensubstantially on the plane of section line 5 5 of Figure l;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional View taken substantially on theplane of section line 6 6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of one of thecombing rollers taken substantially on theplane of section line 7 7 ofFigure 6 with one row of combing lingers removed for the purpose ofillustration;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the invention inslightly modified form; and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary top plan view showing'the two sets of rollersemployed in conjunction with the modified form of the inventiondisclosed in Figure 8.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for ICC the purpose ofillustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention, the numeral 10 represents a slide housing having its rear endsuitably secured to a wheeled support 12 which is coupled to acollector, such as a wagon 14, by a tow bar 16. The forward open end vofthe housing 10 iixedly supports ground shoes or skids 18 that will rideupon the ground as the housing is moved forwardly by a tractor 20 towhich the support 12 and housing 10 are connected by a rigid framework22.

The inner side walls 24 and 26 of the housing 10 fixedly supporthorizontal arms 2S and 30 having holding bearings 32 and 34 securedthereto. The supportingrshafts 36 and 38 of a pair of side-by-side,hollow cylindrical, combing rollers 46 and 42 are held inthe bearings 32and 34 by set screws or the like 44 and 46 so that the rollers 40 and 42may rotatefon shafts 36 and 38.

Fach of the rollers 40 `and 42 is provided with circumferentiallyspaced, longitudinally extending rows of apertures 48 and bushings 49are secured to lthe .rollers lin association with each of the apertures4S such that the bores of the bushings are in radial alignmenttherewithfor slidably receiving the rows Vof combing lingers or shortrods 5l). The inner ends of the fingers 50 lare enlarged to form seats51 for the inner'ends of coil springs 52 that embrace the lingers 50.The springs -52 are biased between the inner peripheries of the rollers40 and 42 and the Vseat-.forming ends 5l to yieldngly urge the fingers50 radially inwardly of the outer peripheries of their supportingrollers.

The intermediate portions of Ythe shafts 36 and 38 are formed withbar-cams orelongated.cammembers-Sl'that extend longitudinally of therollers and within the rollers'. The lobes 56 of the cam members 54aredisposed ina common plane and extend toward each other from Vthe axes.of the shafts 36 and .38, so that as the lcylindrical rollers -4ll and42 rotate, the seat-forming ends '51 of the rows of fingers Vof therollers closest together will ride against the .lobes `56 to projectthese yfingers radially outwardly from the rollersfas shown inFigures land 7.

in order Vthat the fingers yprojected from one roller will not engagethe fingers projected from the other roller, `the rows offinger-accommodating apertures 48 in one roller are lstaggered relativeto the yrows of .apertures in 'the other roller, or else, ythe rollersare longitudinally offset from each other, and through thisconstruction,lthe projected fingers of one roller will be interdigitated withtheprojected fingers ofthe other roller.

Means is provided for rotatingthe'rollers'40 and `42^in relativelyopposite directions so that roller V40 "will rotate clockwise and roller42 willrotate counter-clockwise when viewing these rollersfrom the rearends thereof,vas shown in Figure 5. This roller rotating means -consistsof -a longitudinal driven shaft 58 `rotatably supportedby support 12 andhaving a drive connection 60 with the powerV take-off shaft 62 of the.tractor 20. A suitable reversingA gear-mechanism 64 is coupled to thesections of shaftrSSl and actuated by a hand lever 66 -so that Vshaft.58 may rotate either clockwise .or Aanti-clockwise for a Vpurposepresently to be described. v

The vforward end of shaft 5S fixedly supports a sprocket 68 that isconnected to a sprocket 70 fixed to the rear end of roller 40 by anendless sprocket .chain 72. The upper flight of chain 72 engages thebottom portion of a sprocket 74 fixed to the rear end of roller 42.

A lower pair of side-.by-sidelcylindrical `stripping rollers 76 and 78underlie the combingrollers 40 and 42, and are disposed closer togetherthan are the combing rollers.

The rollers 76 and 7S have supporting shafts 80 and 82 which are held inbearings 84and 86 carried by arms-88 and 90. The arms S8 and 90 'areiXedto the sidewall-s 62 and 58. Shaft 92 xedly supports a secondsprocket 100 that is connected to a sprocket 102 fixed to the rear endof roller 78 by an endless sprocket chain 104 to cause roller 78 torotate ina similar direction as shafts 58 and 92.

An idler sprocket 106, suitably carried by housing 10, engages asprocket chain 108 that extends about a second sprocket 110 fixed to therear end of roller 78 and the upper ight of chain 108 engages the bottomportion of 'a sprocket 112 fixed to the rear end of roller 76, so thatrollers 76 and 78 will be driven, as shown by arrows in Figure 5, topull weeds, sticks or the like downwardly from cotton engaged betweenrollers 40 and 42.

Longitudinal conveyor belts 114 and 116 are carried by rollers 118 and120 mounted on the side walls 24 and 26 of the housing 10. Belt 114 isdisposed between roller 40 and side wall 24 and belt 116 is disposedbetween roller 42 and side wall 26, as shown in Figure 4, so that cottonleaving the rollers 40 and 42 will pass onto the belts 114 and 116. Therollers 118, 120 at one end of each of the belts 114 and 116 are powerdriven by suitable means, such as by power take-off shafts 62, so thatthe upper fiights of these belts will move rearwardly to conduct cottonto the rear of the housing where the cotton will drop onto a transverseconveyor 122 suitably mounted upon the support 12.

Conveyor 122 comprises a pair of rollers 124 with central peripheralV-shaped grooves 126 over which there is engaged an endless conveyorbelt 128 that will form a transverse trough. One of the rollers 124 ispower driven by suitable means operatively connected to the powertake-off shaft of the tractor to move the belt 128 toward the inlet 130of a blower unit 132 that is supported on support 12. The outlet 134 ofunit 132extends to the wagon 14 to direct cotton leaving conveyor 122and entering the inlet 130, into the wagon 14.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the present invention in modified formwhereby the device may be employed for pulling corn. In this embodiment,the rollers 40 and 42 are replaced by conical sprally ribbed rollers 40aand 42a whose rear ends carry sprockets 70a and 74a that engage thesprocket chain 72a in the same manner described in coniunction withFigure 5, however, lever 66 is actuated to drive shaft 58 oppositelyfrom the direction of drive utilized with the rollers 40 and 42,previously described, artig hence, rollers 40a and 42a will rotateAtoward each o er.

Thesprocket 100:1 on shaft 92a engages an endless sprocket chain 10411that extends about the sprocket 112g at the rear end of roller 76a andthe lower ight of chain 104aengages over the sprocket 110a at the rearend of roller 78a so that rollers 76a and 78a now rotate downwardlytoward each other as do the rollers 40a and 42a.

In practical use of the present invention, the tractor is movedforwardly and cotton plants are engaged between the rollers 40 and 42 sothat as the rollers 40 and 42y are driven, the projected fingers 50,which extend between the rollers 40 and 42, will strip the cotton fromthe plants and effect a combing of the cotton. The cotton will be liftedby these rollers 40 and 42 and dropped onto the belts 114 and 116 wherethe cotton is moved rearwardly onto the conveyor 122. The cotton isdrawn from the conveyor 122 by the unit 132 and directed into the wagon14. During the combing of the cotton by the rollers 40 and 42. theyrollers 76 and 78 will pull weeds, twigs and the like downwardly, anddrop this foreign matter onto the ground.

Tn order to employ the device as a corn puller. the rollers 40 and 42are replaced by the rollers 40a and 42a and the rollers 76a and 78a aredriven in the manner described in cnniunction with Figure 8. What isclaimed as new is as follows:

1. Tn a cotton harvester including an elongated slide.

housing having an onen forwardv end to accommodate cotton plants. a pairof side-by-side hollow combing rollers rotatably supported hv andmounted in said housing behind the open forward end of said housing,means operatively connected to said rollers for rotating thev rollers inrela bers each having a lobe, said lobes extending toward each other andlying in a commonplane, and means mounted on and within said rollersengaged with each finger and yieldingly urging the finger radiallyinwardly of the outer periphery of the rollers into engagement with anassociated cam lobe, whereby rotation of `said rollers will effectsequential projection of the rows of fingers through their accommodatingapertures.

2. In a cotton harvester including an elongated slide housing having anopen forward end-to accommodate cotton plants, a pair of side-by-sidehollow combing rollers rotatably supported by and mounted in saidhousing behind the open forward end of said housing, means operativelyconnected to said rollers for rotating the rollers in relativelyopposite directions, each of said rollers having circumferentiallyspaced longitudinally extending rows of apertures, a sliding combingfinger received in each laperture of each roller, a pair of cam membersVeach disposed i in one of said rollers and held stationary on *theyhousing in spaced parallel relationship, each cam member projectingaxially through 'an associated roller, said cam members each having alobe, said lobes extending toward each other and lying in a commonplane, and means mounted on and within lsaid rollers engaged with eachfinger and yieldingly urging the finger radially inwardly of the outerperiphery of the rollers into engagement with an associated cam lobe,whereby rotation of said rollers will effect sequential projection ofthe rows of fingers through their accommodating apertures, the rows ofapertures in one roller being staggered with respect to the apertures inthe other roller so that the fingers projecting radially outwardly onone rollerwill be interdigitated with the fingers projecting radiallyoutwardly from the other roller.

3. VIn a cotton harvester including an elongated slide housing having anopen forward end to accommodate cotton plants, a pair of side-by-sidehollow combing rollers rotatably vsupported by and mounted in saidhousing behind the open forward end of said housing, means operativelyconnected to said rollers for rotating the rollers in relativelyopposite directions, each of said rollers having circumferentiallyspaced longitudinally extending rows of apertures, a sliding combingfinger received in each aperture of each roller, a pair of cam memberseach disposed in one of said rollers and held stationary on the housingin spaced parallel relationship, each cam member proiecting axiallythrough an associated roller, said cam members each having a lobe, saidlobes extending toward each other and lying in a common plane. and meansmounted on and within said rollers engaged with each finger andyieldingly urgingr the finger radially inwardly of the outer peripheryof the rollers into engagement with an associated cam lobe, wherebyrotation of said rollers will effect sequential proection of the rows offingers through their accommodating apertures, a lower pair of sidestripper rollers and supported by and mounted in said housing andunderlying the combing rollers, means operatively connected to thestripper rollers for rotating the same opoositelv relative to each otherand to the combing rollers. whereby weeds and plants gripped bv thecombing rollers will be pulled therefrom by the stripping rollers. A

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED' STATES PATENTS457.743 Lispenard Aug. 11, 1891 457.744 Lispenard Aug. 11, 1891 503.031Bearman .Aug. 8, 1893 624.852 Nugent May 9, 1899 730.632 Galbreath June9, 1903 1,006.614 Willis et al Oct. 24, 1911 1.047.327 Stewart Dec. 17,1912 1.069.997 Appleby Aug. 12, .1913 1,252.016 Neil Ian. 1, 19181.275.551 Godbersen Aug. 13, 1918 1,379,571 Jones May 24, 1921 1,496,364Bonnafoux June 3, 1924 1,847,399 Innes Mar. l, 1932 1,857,907 York May10, 1932 2,451,130 Townsend Oct. 12, 1948 2,475,531 Townsend July 5,1949 2,544,025 Johnson Mar. 6, 1951 2,571,224 Edwards Oct. 16, 19512,644,292 Oberholtz et al. July 7, 1953

